Recently Issued Accounting Standards	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Recently Issued Accounting Standards [Abstract]
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	NOTE 2 – RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS In December 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) 141(R), "Business Combinations," now included in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 805, "Business Combinations," which replaces FAS 141. This Statement establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer in a business combination recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any controlling interest; recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of business combinations. This Statement is effective for acquisitions completed after the beginning of Ralcorp's 2010 fiscal year. The most significant change for Ralcorp was that costs incurred to effect the business combination are now expensed immediately rather than included as part of the purchase price and goodwill. Related disclosures are included in Note 3. In April 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS 142-3, "Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets," now included in ASC Topic 350, "Intangibles–Goodwill and Other," which amends the factors that should be considered in developing renewal or extension assumptions used to determine the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under FAS 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." This FSP was effective for financial statements issued for Ralcorp's 2010 fiscal year. The FSP's guidance for determining the useful life of a recognized intangible asset must be applied prospectively to intangible assets acquired after the effective date (October 1, 2009 for Ralcorp). The FSP's disclosure requirements must be applied prospectively to all intangible assets recognized as of, and subsequent to, the effective date. Issued in December 2009, Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2009-16 amends ASC Topic 860 for the issuance of FAS 166, "Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets – an amendment of FASB Statement No. 140." The amendments in this ASU improve financial reporting by eliminating the exceptions for qualifying special-purpose entities from the consolidation guidance and the exception that permitted sale accounting for certain mortgage securitizations when a transferor has not surrendered control over the transferred financial assets. In addition, the amendments require enhanced disclosures about the risks that a transferor continues to be exposed to because of its continuing involvement in transferred financial assets. Comparability and consistency in accounting for transferred financial assets will also be improved through clarifications of the requirements for isolation and limitations on portions of financial assets that are eligible for sale accounting. Also issued in December 2009, ASU 2009-17 amends ASC Topic 810, "Consolidations," for the issuance of FAS 167, "Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)." The amendments in this ASU replace the quantitative-based risks and rewards calculation for determining which reporting entity, if any, has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity with an approach focused on identifying which reporting entity has the power to direct the activities of a variable interest entity that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (1) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or (2) the right to receive benefits from the entity. An approach that is expected to be primarily qualitative will be more effective for identifying which reporting entity has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity. The amendments in this ASU also require additional disclosures about a reporting entity's involvement in variable interest entities, which will enhance the information provided to users of financial statements. These ASUs were effective for Ralcorp's 2011 fiscal year and affected the Company's reporting related to its sale of accounts receivable (see Note 11). Beginning in fiscal 2011, the outstanding balance of receivables sold ($247.1 and $137.8 at September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively) remains on Ralcorp's consolidated balance sheet, proceeds received from the conduits ($105.0 and zero as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively) is shown as short-term debt, and there is no investment in Ralcorp Receivables Corporation. In addition, any proceeds received from or repaid to the conduits is now shown as cash flows from financing activities rather than from operating activities. In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS." This update establishes common requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The amendments in this update are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 (i.e., Ralcorp's financial statements for the quarter ending March 31, 2012). The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, "Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income." The objective of this update is to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. This update requires that all nonowner changes in shareholders' equity be presented in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011 (i.e., Ralcorp's financial statements for the quarter ending December 31, 2012). The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-8, "Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment," which is intended to simplify how an entity tests goodwill for impairment. The amendments in this ASU will allow an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. An entity no longer will be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The guidance also includes examples of the types of factors to consider in conducting the qualitative assessment. Prior to this ASU, entities were required to test goodwill for impairment, on at least an annual basis, by first comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the second step of the test is to be performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The amendments must be adopted for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011; however, the Company chose to adopt this ASU as of September 30, 2011, as permitted by the standard. See Note 4 for information about goodwill impairments. In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-9, "Compensation – Retirement Benefits –Multiemployer Plans (Subtopic 715-80): Disclosures about an Employer's Participation in a Multiemployer Plan," which provides new requirements for the disclosures that an employer should provide related to its participation in multiemployer pension plans. Plans of this type are commonly used by employers to provide benefits to union employees that may work for multiple employers during their working life and thereby accrue benefits in one plan for their retirement. The revised disclosures will provide users of financial statements with additional information about the plans in which an employer participates, the level of an employer's participation in the plans, and financial health of significant plans. The amendments in this update are effective for Ralcorp's annual financial statements for the year ending September 30, 2012.

NOTE 2 – RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

In December 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) 141(R), "Business Combinations," now included in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 805, "Business Combinations," which replaces FAS 141. This Statement establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer in a business combination recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any controlling interest; recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of business combinations. This Statement is effective for acquisitions completed after the beginning of Ralcorp's 2010 fiscal year. The most significant change for Ralcorp was that costs incurred to effect the business combination are now expensed immediately rather than included as part of the purchase price and goodwill. Related disclosures are included in Note 3.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS 142-3, "Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets," now included in ASC Topic 350, "Intangibles–Goodwill and Other," which amends the factors that should be considered in developing renewal or extension assumptions used to determine the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under FAS 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." This FSP was effective for financial statements issued for Ralcorp's 2010 fiscal year. The FSP's guidance for determining the useful life of a recognized intangible asset must be applied prospectively to intangible assets acquired after the effective date (October 1, 2009 for Ralcorp). The FSP's disclosure requirements must be applied prospectively to all intangible assets recognized as of, and subsequent to, the effective date.

Issued in December 2009, Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2009-16 amends ASC Topic 860 for the issuance of FAS 166, "Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets – an amendment of FASB Statement No. 140." The amendments in this ASU improve financial reporting by eliminating the exceptions for qualifying special-purpose entities from the consolidation guidance and the exception that permitted sale accounting for certain mortgage securitizations when a transferor has not surrendered control over the transferred financial assets. In addition, the amendments require enhanced disclosures about the risks that a transferor continues to be exposed to because of its continuing involvement in transferred financial assets. Comparability and consistency in accounting for transferred financial assets will also be improved through clarifications of the requirements for isolation and limitations on portions of financial assets that are eligible for sale accounting. Also issued in December 2009, ASU 2009-17 amends ASC Topic 810, "Consolidations," for the issuance of FAS 167, "Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)." The amendments in this ASU replace the quantitative-based risks and rewards calculation for determining which reporting entity, if any, has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity with an approach focused on identifying which reporting entity has the power to direct the activities of a variable interest entity that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (1) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or (2) the right to receive benefits from the entity. An approach that is expected to be primarily qualitative will be more effective for identifying which reporting entity has a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity. The amendments in this ASU also require additional disclosures about a reporting entity's involvement in variable interest entities, which will enhance the information provided to users of financial statements. These ASUs were effective for Ralcorp's 2011 fiscal year and affected the Company's reporting related to its sale of accounts receivable (see Note 11). Beginning in fiscal 2011, the outstanding balance of receivables sold ($247.1 and $137.8 at September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively) remains on Ralcorp's consolidated balance sheet, proceeds received from the conduits ($105.0 and zero as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively) is shown as short-term debt, and there is no investment in Ralcorp Receivables Corporation. In addition, any proceeds received from or repaid to the conduits is now shown as cash flows from financing activities rather than from operating activities.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS." This update establishes common requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The amendments in this update are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 (i.e., Ralcorp's financial statements for the quarter ending March 31, 2012). The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, "Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income." The objective of this update is to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. This update requires that all nonowner changes in shareholders' equity be presented in either a single continuous

statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011 (i.e., Ralcorp's financial statements for the quarter ending December 31, 2012). The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-8, "Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment," which is intended to simplify how an entity tests goodwill for impairment. The amendments in this ASU will allow an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. An entity no longer will be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The guidance also includes examples of the types of factors to consider in conducting the qualitative assessment. Prior to this ASU, entities were required to test goodwill for impairment, on at least an annual basis, by first comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the second step of the test is to be performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The amendments must be adopted for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011; however, the Company chose to adopt this ASU as of September 30, 2011, as permitted by the standard. See Note 4 for information about goodwill impairments.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-9, "Compensation – Retirement Benefits –Multiemployer Plans (Subtopic 715-80): Disclosures about an Employer's Participation in a Multiemployer Plan," which provides new requirements for the disclosures that an employer should provide related to its participation in multiemployer pension plans. Plans of this type are commonly used by employers to provide benefits to union employees that may work for multiple employers during their working life and thereby accrue benefits in one plan for their retirement. The revised disclosures will provide users of financial statements with additional information about the plans in which an employer participates, the level of an employer's participation in the plans, and financial health of significant plans. The amendments in this update are effective for Ralcorp's annual financial statements for the year ending September 30, 2012.